One EMP burst and your world goes dark

EMP attacks are often thought of as attacks against the U.S. infrastructure. But the truth is a large-scale EMP attack would be an instrument of genocide.

EMP (electromagnetic pulse) is different from all other natural and man-made disasters. Most disasters are either local or regional in nature but a disaster of this type would be nationwide.

Current disaster preparedness and recovery plans will be of little or no value after an EMP event because of the length of time it would take to obtain and install replacement parts or repair other damage. The cascade of trouble would be significant. No electricity would mean out-of-control water, natural gas or fuel flows through distribution systems.

Some explosions likely would happen, fires could ignite. But no emergency services could be contacted for help, and if they already were on scene, it's unlikely water would be ready. Even worse, when such fires burn themselves out, and repairs are begun, supplies could neither be ordered nor delivered because of communications and fuel disruptions, and the critical workers needed for repairs might not be able to get to the location.

Ultimate recovery from an EMP event could end up taking years, during which time America very well may have to exist without many high-tech services, from cell phones inoperable due to damaged towers unrepaired because of parts shortages to a disruption in the food supply path because of fuel shortages.

The systems at risk from EMP include: electronic control, sensor, and protective systems of all kinds, computers and cell phones, cars, boats, airplanes, trains, the infrastructures for handling electric power, telecommunications, transportation, fuel and energy, banking and finance, emergency services, and even food and water - in short... almost everything. An EMP event could cause the collapse of society.

And that is the true nightmare behind any EMP event, natural or man-made.

Once the entire system collapses, how and where does anyone build it back when that one crucial part you need is in a warehouse in Shanghai or Seoul (or even just in Kansas City) and you don't have the means to even ask for that part? At some point, repair and recovery simply become impossible.

Let's talk about timelines... What happens next and when?

So why is this "EMP thingy" one of the "Big Three" threats to our country? First, let's deal with the "bad guys" (whoever they are) and the outcome they WANT.

An EMP attack potentially represents a high tech means for terrorists to kill millions of Americans the old fashioned way, through chaos, starvation and disease.

Although the direct physical effects of EMP are harmless to people, a well designed and well executed EMP attack could kill - indirectly - far more Americans than a nuclear weapon detonated in our most populous city.

Somewhere between 250,000 to 500,000 people will die in the first few minutes... that's more than all our battle casualties across four years of World War II.

The first few million deaths are tragically obvious. Those aboard commercial flights, and even most private flights, those in nursing homes, hospices, and hospitals, auto accidents.

The next few million are obvious as well. Those with severe aliments requiring daily medication or treatment, such as those awaiting transplants, people undergoing dialysis, those with severe heart ailments both known and not yet realized. Very young children and the elderly can die in less than a day from severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.

Within a month the next level of die-off will be in full development. More serious diseases, lack of sanitation, food poisoning, and it gets worse. By sixty days true starvation will be killing off millions more... and by 120 days... mass starvation will be the norm.

And finally, there's violence against ourselves. What would you do to keep your child alive? At what point do we begin to kill each other for food, water, shelter?

Unfortunately, it happens much sooner than you think. Before 30 days have passed your life will be in danger regardless of your level of preparation or your location. Sad, yes, but true.

If you haven't already read the "Societal Decay" page on this site... you'd better.

Pick any one... or two... who have we pissed off recently (or even not so recently)?

You see, an EMP attack is different since it only requires one nuclear weapon, detonated 250 miles above the middle of the United States. One bomb. The launch could even be done from a container ship in the Gulf of Mexico and in that instant, the war is already over and won.

In Iran - the most unabashed state sponsor of international terrorism today - their scientists have argued that the key to defeating the United States lies in attacking its electronics. Iran has already demonstrated it has the capability to launch a Scud missile from a vessel at sea.

The ingredients for an EMP attack are already within reach. Al-Qaeda (ISIS, whatever) is known to have a fleet of freighters. One of those freighters could easily be outfitted with a short- range ballistic missile capable of getting a nuclear weapon to almost any point in the airspace above our country, and the odds are even that we won't see it coming until it's too late.

Thousands of Scud missiles exist around the world, and they are said to cost less than $100,000 to purchase from willing suppliers like North Korea. (In December 2002, a North Korean ship was intercepted, temporarily, as it prepared to deliver twelve Scud missiles to Yemen.) North Korea has also declared its willingness to sell nuclear weapons to terrorists - for what amounts essentially to pocket change.

Ship-launched ballistic missiles have a special advantage. The "return address" of the attacker would be difficult if not impossible to determine, especially if the missile is a generic Scud type weapon, found in many countries' arsenals.

Wouldn't that temptation be even greater if that result could be achieved with a single attack, involving just one nuclear weapon, perhaps even one of modest power and relatively unsophisticated design?

And, what if the attacker could be reasonably sure that the United States would not know who was responsible for such a devastating blow, and might not be able to retaliate even if they did?

So... yes... It could easily happen, and you need to be prepared for it.

OK, OK, I get it - it's BAD - What do I do?

First, get your head around THIS FACT:

If you and your family cannot survive off-grid for the long term after an EMP event, YOU'LL BE DEAD WITHIN 60 DAYS regardless of your location.

Harsh language, maybe, but you need truth right now, so I'm going to give it to you.

Two very important things to remember:

1. Generators are not practical investments for EMP preparation.

The problem with that method of preparation is, the fuel-generated lifestyle will only last for as long as you have fuel. Very few of us have enough storage space or the proper facilities to store 5 years worth of fuel. If the power grid goes down in a catastrophic way, it could take at least 5 years to get things up and running again, and that's assuming things ever get up and running again in the way they are now.

2. A low-tech lifestyle is the best way to prepare for grid-down survival.

If money is an object in your preparedness endeavors, (and let's face it, money is an object for most of us these days), then focus your dollars on preps that are sustainable without electrical power. Instead of trying to live the exact same life you are living right now, only fueled by an individual generator, look for low-tech solutions instead.

Whether you can get power from an outlet in the wall or not, the necessities of day-to-day life will remain the same:
Water, Shelter and Warmth, Food, Sanitation and Hygiene, Light.

Here's what you should be planning for to go "off-grid":

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE PLANNING LIST - GET BUSY NOW AND START DOING YOUR OWN RESEARCH!

Off-grid Water

If you haven't located water sources near your home, it's time to break out the topographical maps of your area and find them! A low-tech water plan might include some or all of the following:

A manual pump for your well

Buckets and wheelbarrows for hauling water from a nearby source

Rain barrels for water harvesting

A gravity fed water filtration system

A water dispenser for convenient access to filtered water

Storage units for water such as cisterns or tanks

Portable water filter bottles for safe water when you are away from home

Off-grid Shelter and Warmth

Homes these days aren't built to function without a connection to the power grid. If you aren't fortunate enough to live in an older home that was designed for off-grid living, look at some ways to take your home back a century or so. A secondary heating system is vital in most climates.

An antique oil heater can use lots of different oils and requires little effort for installation.

Have a woodstove installed

Clean your chimney and get your fireplace working

Set up an outdoor fireplace with large rocks to bring inside for radiant heat (this won't get you super warm but it's better than nothing)

Have a good supply of blankets, warm clothes, and cold-rated sleeping bags

Learn techniques to stay warm with less heat

Off-grid Food

Not only do you need access to food, but you also need a way to cook it and a way to keep your refrigerated and frozen items from spoiling.

Grow a garden and save your seeds

Have a greenhouse or extend your growing season with cold frames and hoop houses

Have a well-stocked pantry of dry goods that won't spoil

Have supplies for off-grid canning (Jars, lids, outdoor burner) and learn how to can without a kitchen

Learn ways to get by without refrigeration

Off-grid Sanitation and Hygiene

How will you keep clean and deal with human waste in the event of a long-term emergency?

If you are on a septic system, store water for flushing and have a collection system to save your used water in the future

If you are not on a septic system, devise a plan and get supplies for an outhouse or latrine

Learn how to do your laundry off-grid (I use a janitor's bucket for wringing out clothes - get the best quality you can afford - the cheap plastic ones will break when you use them for laundry)

Learn how to make your own cleaning products

Off-grid Lighting

The world is a scary place when it's dark, and most of us have forgotten how dark true dark really is, due to light pollution and the proximity of neighbors. Here are some lighting solutions for an off grid world:

Solar garden lights - store them outside to be charged during the day and bring them in and put them in vases where they're needed at night

Oil lamps - you can recycle used cooking oil or use rendered fat to power these - they give a brighter light and can be used for reading and close-work.